Prologue
by Elabeth
Summary: A Prologue to a story I started to write once but didn't finish. It can stand alone in own right. It's the Marauder's first night back from Summer Holidays at the start of their 7th year.


**Authors Note: **G'day all! This is just a short little fic that was originally a prologue to a story that I was going to write – hence the title - but that didn't go anywhere. I liked this little bit of the fic and thought that I would post it as its own little short story. This is all that there is, it is VERY short… by my way of thinking. I like it and I hope you do to.

I should point out that all characters, scenes and anything else that looks familiar isn't mine. I am not J.K. Rowling and I can wish all I want that I am the millionaire author that created the Harry Potter world, but it just isn't going to happen. So give credit where credit is due… Thank you Ms. Rowling!

A typo has been brought to my attention, I managed to say "Don't even try Prongs; you'll just end up embracing yourself." instead of embarrassing. Just goes to show what happens when I don't use a beta, I end up embracing myself. :P Thanks to elsie777 for picking that up.

**Prologue**

James jumped from the carriage that had just brought him and his three best friends up from the station. The four Marauder's as they called themselves were about to begin their seventh year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. James felt a sense of excitement at starting this final chapter of his schooling, he and his friends had had many grand adventures over the past two years and Potter could tell that this years was going to be no different.

James ran his hand through his black hair and nudged Black. "Hay Padfoot, look who it is."

"Evans! Are you going to see if things have changed over the summer?" Sirius laughed a great booming bark, "Prongs, she didn't like you last year, what on earth makes you think that things have changed?"

"Hey! No one can resist the charms of James Potter!"

"Don't even try Prongs; you'll just end up embarrassing yourself." This boy, young man really, looked much more serious, or perhaps he was just worn out and extremely tired. There was something else to his demeanour, a sense of mischievous fun that was evident in all four boys.

"Nah, go for it Prongs." the forth boy egged on as he tripped out of the carriage. He stood up and dusted himself off; there was something of a rat in this boy's appearance. He seemed to hold Potter in high esteem, well all his friends really. He didn't look like he was very apt and he acted with little confidence in his own ability.

James smiled at Pettigrew, before turning his attention back to Lilly Evan's who was making her way up the castle steps with a couple of her friends.

"Evans, wait up." James called taking the stairs two at a time until he reached her level. "You going to give in to your feelings for me, because I'm free for the first Hogsmeade weekend, or if you can't wait I could arrange something for earlier than that?"

Lilly smiled, "Potter, you going to get over your feelings for me? Because I am not going to go out with you. You're arrogant, self-centred, uncaring and until you change and somehow become a much nicer person, I don't know how I could ever consider dating you."

Lilly gave James a pained look, she wished he would stop bugging her; she didn't have any interest in him. Well… that wasn't quite true, he did have a cute look to him but he was such a prankster and not in a good way.

James stood on the steps watching her as she walked away, a sly grin on his face despite having just been turned down. In fact, as she ascended the stairs he tilted his head and clearly checked her out from behind. Sirius came up the steps laughing his bark.

"Good one Prongs," Black slapped James on the back, "you'll get her next time for sure."

James raised his eyebrow at his friend. He wasn't so sure, but still he was James Potter, and he knew Evans thought he was hot… he was sure of it.

"I told you James, she doesn't want to associate with someone like you. Maybe if you cleaned up your act, you know weren't so overly confident. Or stopped teasing Snape so much, you know how that annoys her…" Lupin trailed off.

"Over confident? Stop teasing Snape? Are you mad? Evans will come around eventually, once she sees what a git the guy, if you can call him human, is." Black jumped to the aid of his best friend.

"That's right." Peter interrupted trying to have his two cents worth.

"Yeah, come on let's get inside, don't want to miss the start of school feast." James led the way in through the large oak doors.

The four young men walk into the great hall the enchanted ceiling about depicting an array of stars twinkling in the cloudless sky. Potter sat, not really watching as the sorting ceremony took place. He was far more intent on watching a beautiful girl with thick, dark red hair that fell down just past her shoulders. He had often found himself lost in her emerald green eyes that had so frequently looked upon him in disapproval.

James knew that he was going to marry this young woman. The problem was that she didn't seem very open to the idea at the moment. She seemed to have such a high moral standard that stopped her from liking him. Just because he couldn't stand to be around Severus Snape, James could never understand why Evans had stood up for the greasy haired git so many times, especially as _Snivellus _never appeared to appreciate the favour.

James continued to gaze at the young woman as the final first year was sorted into Ravenclaw. He wasn't listening as Dumbledore made his usual short speech and waved his hands over the hall signalling the beginning of the feast.

"Prongs?" Black nudged Potter from his left.

"Hmm?"

"Food." Black grabbed a chicken leg and took a great big bite out of it in a rather savage manner.

James stopped gazing at Lilly to indulge in the culinary delights concocted by the Hogwarts House Elves.

"That is disgusting Padfoot." Lupin wrinkled up his nose at his friend's disassembly of the chicken leg.

Black merely smiled at Remus and took an extra large mouthful and started to chew with his mouth open just to gross Lupin out. Remus rolled his eyes and picked up his knife and fork to begin his own meal, Sirius's antics had long ago stopped disgusting him, but several second year girls sitting near by were obviously no longer very hungry.

The rest of the feast past quite uneventfully, Black did something really disgusting with his pudding and custard. James spent at least five minutes gazing at Lilly and Lupin had to try and clam down a second year girl who looked like she was going to pass out after observing Black's pudding trick.


End file.
